Every year has its theme. In 2025, it was this. Cyberattacks stopped being a someday problem and became a right now problem for companies of every size and every industry.
Here is what this year taught us, sometimes the hard way.
The Biggest Cyber Threats of the Year
Ransomware stayed king, but evolved: quieter, more targeted, lurking in networks for weeks undetected. Phishing remained the front door: one click, one fake invoice, one convincing email. And supply chain attacks blindsided even cautious businesses, exploiting trusted vendors and partners.
What Businesses Learned the Hard Way
Most companies learned that basic security is not enough anymore. Firewalls and antivirus alone did not stop modern attacks.
They also learned that backups are only helpful if they actually work. Too many businesses discovered their backups were incomplete, outdated, or encrypted along with everything else.
And finally, people learned that cyber insurance is not a safety net. It helps after the damage is done. It does not prevent the damage.
What We Saw in the Field
We saw downtime cost more than anyone expected. Lost revenue, missed deadlines, angry customers, stressed leadership.
We saw small businesses hit just as hard as large ones. In some cases, harder. We also saw something encouraging. The companies that invested in monitoring, training, and clear response plans recovered faster and slept better at night. Funny how that works.
What Companies Must Do Before January 1
If you do nothing else before the calendar flips, do these four things.
- First, verify your backups and test a restore. Do not assume. Know.
- Second, train your team again. Cybersecurity is not a one time lesson.
- Third, review who has access to what. Too much access is an open invitation.
- Fourth, get visibility. If no one is watching your systems, problems will always find you first.
Where This Leaves Us
Cybersecurity in 2025 stopped being an IT issue. It became a business survival issue. The good news is this. The companies that learned these lessons are heading into the new year stronger, smarter, and harder to hit.
No business is immune to these threats. That's why our referral program rewards you for connecting us with companies that need better cybersecurity! Help them start 2026 protected. And maybe enjoy a quiet holiday without a 2 a.m. panic call.
Contact us at 201.402.1900 or explore our referral program here!